WXYZ DETROIT — Northern Michigan’s treasured Mackinac Island is on a roll! For the second straight year, it has won significant awards and recognition by Travel + Leisure. You may recall that last year it was named the “Best Island in the Continental U.S.” This time around, it was voted the second favorite island in America.
But this picturesque island didn’t stop there. The nearly 165,000 readers selected Mackinac #19 for “Favorite Islands in the World.” And three island resorts placed in the “Favorite Resorts in the World” category. That list includes Mackinac’s Hotel Iroquois, Island House Hotel, and the majestic Grand Hotel.
Wisely, the voters said our hidden gem of the Great Lakes State was “unique in that cars and trucks are banned. Residents and visitors rely on horse-drawn carriages and bicycles for transportation.” Mackinac Island is without question, a shining beacon of the popular Pure Michigan tourism campaign. It is a historic throwback to a simpler Victorian age that is now suspended in time. As another reader said, “There’s no place like it!”
We congratulate Mackinac Island for being an attraction that brings the world to its 3.8 square miles tucked scenically between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. Whether you visit the island for a day or weeks at a time, few places in the world can rival the charm of Mackinac’s accommodations, restaurants, shops, and relaxing recreational areas.
In capturing these latest honors, Mackinac Island beat out places in Italy, Greece, and Croatia. Founded in 1780 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, let us never take this Pure Michigan location for granted.
I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: July 20 - 23, 2023
